EXTERNAL ENVELOPE 45 Unlocking the value of EPDs
Marvyn Candler at Lignacite explores why Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are now under increasing scrutiny – and how robust, independently verifi ed data supports evidence-based specifi cation and credible carbon reduction in architectural design.
E
nvironmental claims in construction are increasingly questioned by clients, planners and stakeholders. As net zero commitments move from ambition to expectation, architects are under growing pressure to demonstrate that material choices are supported by verifi able evidence. Environmental Product Declarations, commonly referred to as EPDs, provide just that.
For many practices, EPDs are familiar documents. But familiarity does not always translate into understanding. As client, planner and regulator attention increases, it is no longer enough to simply reference an EPD in plans. Architects need confi dence in what the data represents, how it has been produced and what that means over the life of a building.
This shift is being reinforced by wider regulatory and cultural change. The Building Safety Act has sharpened the focus on accountability and documentation, while sustainability reporting has moved beyond intent statements towards measurable outcomes. Industry guidance and planning policy increasingly expect whole life carbon assessments to be underpinned by quantifi ed data. In this context, environmental claims and whole life carbon must be measured from the outset and remain defensible long after a project’s completion.
Understanding EPDs Before going any further, it’s important to defi ne what an EPD is. An Environmental Product Declaration is a standardised summary of a product’s environmental impact, based on lifecycle assessment methodology. The results are independently verifi ed and presented in a consistent format, providing transparent data on factors such as embodied carbon, resource use and emissions, and allowing meaningful comparison between products.
ADF MARCH 2026
However, an EPD is not a performance label or a sustainability rating. It does not declare a product to be good or bad. Instead, it provides verifi ed data that enables architects to make informed decisions based on project priorities, context and design intent. It’s worth mentioning that the source of an EPD matters as much as its content. Not all declarations are produced to the same standard. Independent verifi cation, reputable programme operators and clear system boundaries are essential if data is to be relied upon. Without these, comparisons become unreliable and confi dence in specifi cations is undermined.
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